In 2018, I put together an exhibition called MASARAP at Babycastles Gallery. Masarap is Tagalog for 'delicious.’ I used this two-week takeover to explore the complicated origins of comfort food as well as the ways we play with what we eat.

Why comfort food? In an increasingly troublesome world online and IRL, we have looked to online food delivery, food porn and various forms of self care to seek solace. This space is here to help you step back and examine your relationship with food.

Running throughout the exhibition was the Dampa Project, a reimagining of open-air fish markets in the Philippines where customers handpick their ingredients and choose what style of cuisine they want.

In this version, customers donated ingredients as their admission to select gallery activities. The object was to create a communal pantry where dishes were created and served at the closing event. An online inventory and menu was updated throughout the exhibition.

MASARAP: Opening Party on Thursday, 8/23/2018

DJ sets by Buskko and Greem Jellyfish

Comfort Nuggets by Frank Demarco

MASARAP: Indie Game Night on Saturday 8/25/2018

8pm DJ set by Business Pastel

Featuring these games:

• RAD CHEF by Nick Santaniello

• NOUR by Terrifying Jellyfish

• you should eat breakfast by npckc

MASARAP: Board Game Night on Sunday 8/26/2018

Games: Guts of Glory, Morels, Candyland, Flapjacks & Sasquatches, Bad Medicine, and Sushi Go. Thanks to Kickstarter for lending us a few copies!

MASARAP: Comfort Food Roundtable & Potluck on Friday 8/31/2018

A potluck and roundtable discussion about comfort food through the eyes of chefs and media makers. We delved into why we crave what we crave through all five senses. 

Moderated by Jenn de la Vega and featuring Simon Keough of Put A Egg On It, Wenjay Ying of Local Roots, Isha Aran, and Carol Benovic-Bradley.

MASARAP: Sutukil Dinner on Saturday 9/1/2018

A sit-down dinner focusing on the parts of Filipino sutukil style of cooking: sagwa for grilled, tuwa for stewed and kilaw for raw. Includes 3 courses and 1 refreshment.

Sutukil is the familiar practice of choosing the food you are about to eat and the different ways it can be prepared for you. It’s like when you go to a restaurant and point at a fish in the tank that you’d like to eat. 

MASARAP: Closing Party & Kamayan on Sunday 9/2/2018

All the ingredients that were donated to the Dampa project were cooked and arranged in a giant banana-leaf lined grazing table where you can only eat with your hands.

Installations on view:

KUMMERSPECK translates to ‘grief bacon.’ These soft breakfast items were created to bring comfort and relief. They can be touched and rearranged any which way on its blue plate.  Please take off your shoes when engaging with his meal.

BLUE PLATE is a dinner table where people can sit down and ‘feast’ with their eyes on various food porn projected onto plates.

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